There Goes My Life
by Dragon Claymore
Summary: The four times Penelope Garcia said 'There Goes My life' to herself. For the Endings / New Beginnings Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, the characters from the show, etc. I am not making any money off the writing of this story.

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><p>Challenge: Endings, New Beginnings and Starting Over<p>

"There goes my Life" by Kenny Chesney

Character: Garcia

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><p>All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.<br>~ Ellen Glasgow

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><p>The knock was loud and startling for someone accustomed to only the sound of computer keys clicking.<p>

Penelope Garcia started at the first series of knocks, paralyzed by the second and almost comatose by the third.

'Penelope Garcia, this is the FBI! Open up or we will be forced to break the door down.' A male voice full of authority called.

She lurched into action.

They came for her.

.

She was going to jail.

.

Maybe she could die there.

.

Maybe then, she could stop hurting so badly.

.

Opening the door she couldn't remember walking over to, Garcia moved out of the way of the officers on the other side.

~There goes my life~ she thought as the lackeys moved her computers out to the waiting van outside.

One senior agent sat across from her at the table, the other supervised the moving.

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><p>Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.<br>~ Bruce Barton

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><p>Sorry for the short length, but I wanted to get this out there. I plan to continue it, probably another two chapters.<p>

However, I'm sick at the moment and in serious need of a pick-me-up. For those who have read my author's notes in my other stories know I had a serious break-up two months ago. This would've been my wedding day.

Please leave me a word or two in a review. Remember even a short comment will make my day; I'm easy to please that way.

Dragon

PS:

**~*~ Profiler's Choice 2011 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community ~*~**

**Hosted by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969**

_It is our pleasure to announce the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds community! _

_The nomination ballot is now available, and all rules are posted on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Nomination ballots must be received by October 15, 2011 and must be sent to this PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards. Fics for consideration must have appeared on the CM section of between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011 (see rules for full details.)_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, the characters from the show, etc. I am not making any money off the writing of this story.

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><p>Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.<p>

~ Raymond Lindquist

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><p>Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.<p>

~ Dr. Seuss

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><p>They gave her two weeks to pack and tie up any loose ends with the San Francisco teams she had been working with.<p>

.

They were good people. Most had no problem with how she came to work for the FBI. She thought it could be because she wasn't the first to arrive like that.

.

Her wardrobe wasn't even a big stretch. While she may be the most flamboyant currently in the office, it was very relaxed for a government office.

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She was being transferred to Virginia.

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Not her choice.

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She had two stepbrothers in California; she was raised on the West Coast. This was completely beyond what she ever imagined for herself. Thankfully, her eighteen months good service gave her some bargaining room with the move.

Even her car was coming with her. Esther was an old, dear friend, leaving her behind was inconceivable. The drive across the country would be long, arduous and minimal fun, but worth it to have Esther with her.

One last visit to the office, she said goodbye to her friends.

.

She wiped the tears from her eyes being careful not to smear her make-up too much.

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As she pulled away, watching her friends getting smaller in the rear-view mirror, she said to herself,

.

.

'There goes my life.'

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><p>Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…It's about learning how to dance in the rain.<p>

~ Vivian Greene

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><p>There's another chapter. I've come to the conclusion that these chapters are going to be short but I have ideas for at least another one or two. Hopefully, they'll get a bit more upbeat now that I've got Garcia to Quantico.<p>

Big thank you to ValkyrieNyght for her words of encouragement. I really needed them. Overall feeling better, got to help out sis and bro-in-law this weekend and looked after my nephew for the afternoon so they could have some non-kid time. The bonus: I got to spend time with my nephew! At almost 26 months the phrase vocabulary is a lot of fun to help build. 'Blue car' 'Blue car bye-bye' 'cars going bye-bye'

TTFN,

Dragon

PS:

**~*~ Profiler's Choice 2011 Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds Community ~*~**

**Hosted by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969**

_It is our pleasure to announce the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards for the Criminal Minds community!_

_The nomination ballot is now available, and all rules are posted on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Nomination ballots must be received by October 15, 2011 and must be sent to this PM at Profiler's Choice CM Awards. Stories for consideration must have appeared on the CM section of FFN between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011 (see rules for full details)_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, the characters from the show, etc. I am not making any money off the writing of this story.

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><p>For a long time it had seemed to me that, life was about to begin-real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last, it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.<br>~ Alfred D'Souza

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><p>File moving, file moving and more file moving was how she spent her first days in Quantico. She was going to be given her own secure office, but as always, there was a catch. While facilities maintenance would install her desks, monitor mounts and servers however she desired, she had to help clean the room and be clear where she wanted everything to go.<p>

.

She was starting to move the loose 'hand move only' files. When pausing in the bullpen for a moment, double-checking where she needed to put them, one man turned from the small group of male agents working nearby and called for a Gomez.

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Gomez, she hadn't heard that name yet, ignoring the call she began to walk away. The agent called again for 'Baby Girl'. She looked up and around slightly to look at the speaker, still mildly confused.

As he clarified, she nearly began turning an embarrassing shade of red; he was such a handsome man. Like a bar of the best dark chocolate, he was a man to watch and sigh.

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The swift apology was a little odd until she figured out the 'Gomez' had been directed to her. She had no problem helping the three men out. Each was so cute in their own way.

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The man that had addressed her was dark-skinned but light soul-ed.

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The serious man standing, supervising, engaged but very much in charge.

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The youngest, sitting at the computer, turned out to be a sweet, old-fashioned geek.

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She had no idea how important the three would become to her.

.

.

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There went her life.

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><p>If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man should keep his friendships in constant repair.<p>

~ Samuel Johnson

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><p>Here's the third and second last chapter. The last chapter is written and will probably be posted after the nightmare weekend I'm facing at work.<p>

Big 'THANK YOU!' to Ren Kayashima and Nebula Fanfiction for the first meeting info and the link since I don't write at home therefore had no access to my DVDs. I wore out my cell phone battery watching the episode. Oh well, I actually got more written after I put my phone out in my car to charge.

For those of you also reading Reid's Surprise, I have started working on it again, but it's very slow going. It's hard to write a budding relationship when you're still healing after a sudden break-up. Just know I have the time-line I wrote out before I started posting so I don't intend to let it lapse completely. I'm thinking another major factor was trying to shift gears when the characters didn't want to. Therefore, I've quit arguing, but need to resolve the 'open threads'.

TTFN,

Dragon

PS: I apologise for the re-post but it seems no matter how carefully I check the upload, something is always not quite right and needs to be fixed.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, the characters from the show, etc. I am not making any money off the writing of this story.

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><p>It's hard being left behind. (...) It's hard to be the one who stays."<br>~ Audrey Niffenegger

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><p>She's not sure which is worse, going with the team or having to watch them leave. Too many times one or more nearly didn't return. When they had pulled her from her safe screens in Quantico to that house in rural Georgia, she thought it would be a nice change of scenery. She had no idea she'd have to watch, as poor Dr. Reid was tortured, die and be brought back. After that, she wasn't so sure she wanted to travel with them.<p>

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The jet was cool, but it didn't make up for the horrible things she was so much closer to when she accompanied them.

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Missing out on getting to go to the CIA sucked, but thinking back, she really shouldn't have been surprised.

.

Then came Alaska. She is a city girl, not a country one. At least it was pretty country, though having to watch that poor man die was so horrible. Now as she presents yet another case to the team, she can't help but pray for them all to come back to her safely. To be able to find the UNSUB before another life ends.

She clicks the remote to remove the gruesome pictures from the screen before she turns around.

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File folders and tablet cases are closing around the table.

Pens are clicked and put away.

Chairs are pushed back as the occupants stand.

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Watching them file out of the conference room, she prays they come home soon and sighs.

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A tinge of happiness, a tinge of worry as she says to herself,

.

.

.

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'There Goes My Life.'

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><p>Though miles may lie between us<p>

we are never far apart,

for friendship doesn't count miles

it's measured by the heart.

~ Anonymous

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><p>Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.<p>

~ _Dalai__Lama_

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><p>All done, unless someone has an idea that would fit, I'm good with this as is. It was interesting to write Garcia and a challenge I hope I did well.<p>

Now to work on my Halloween story, Reid's Surprise, the AU Hotch and Reid I'm hoping to start posting soon, and one more Reid story that I've started.

FYI: feedback helps me write faster, it's fuel for my muse's fire.

TTFN,

Dragon


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